Distributed Router Application Serialization

1. A method for storing messages during shutting down of a router interface component that is configured to send outgoing messages addressed to communications devices associated with a first communications network, and to receive incoming messages from the communications devices, the router interface component having a storage to store pending outgoing or incoming messages for subsequent sending, the method including, during shutdown, prioritizing at least some of the pending messages, generating status information of those prioritized messages and storing said generated status information to a persistent storage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether any of the pending messages include device messages relating to text information, and if so storing said device messages to the persistent storage along with said generated status information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said pending messages include status messages which relate to a status of a previously sent or received message, and wherein said status messages are prioritized over said device messages when storing to said persistent storage.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said status messages or status information includes error code information.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said status messages or status information includes delivery acknowledgement information.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the device messages are electronic mail messages.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising storing in the persistent storage address information of source or destination communication devices, the address information being stored in association with the stored pending messages.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising storing in the persistent storage a time of shutdown of the router interface, the time being stored in association with the stored pending messages.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the pending messages are stored based on a determination of which of the pending messages are required to be sent to the communications devices by the router interface to avoid an incorrect determination by one of the communications devices associated with the first communications network of the status of a message originating therefrom.

10. A method for storing messages during shutting down of a router interface component that is configured to send outgoing messages addressed to communications devices associated with a first communications network, and to receive incoming messages from the communications devices, the router interface component having a storage to store pending outgoing or incoming messages for subsequent sending, the method including, during shutdown, determining whether any of the pending messages include device messages relating to text information, and if so generating status information and storing said device messages to a persistent storage along with said generated status information.

11. A router for routing messages between communications networks, including: a persistent storage; and a transport interface for sending outgoing messages to communications devices associated with a first communications network, and receiving incoming messages from the communications devices, and having a storage for storing pending outgoing or incoming messages for subsequent sending by the transport interface, the transport interface being coupled to the persistent storage and configured to, during shutdown, prioritize at least some of the pending messages, generate status information of those prioritized messages and store said generated status information to the persistent storage.

12. The router of claim 11 wherein the transport interface is further configured to determine whether any of the pending messages include device messages relating to text information, and if so store said device messages to the persistent storage along with said generated status information.

13. The router of claim 12 wherein said pending messages include status messages which relate to a status of a previously sent or received message, and wherein the status messages or status information includes error code information.

14. The router of claim 13 wherein the status messages or status information includes delivery acknowledgement information.

15. The router of claim 12 wherein the device messages are electronic mail messages.

16. The router of claim 12 wherein the transport interface is further configured to store in the persistent storage address information of source or destination communication devices, the address information being stored in association with the stored pending messages.

17. The router of claim 12 wherein the transport interface is further configured to store in the persistent storage a time of shutdown of the transport interface, the time being stored in association with the stored pending messages.